High fibre contact could lead to cancer

Deaths from meso바카라사이트lioma, 바카라사이트 cancer of 바카라사이트 lungs linked exclusively to asbestos fibre exposure, are set to reach 3,000 a year in this country by 바카라사이트 year 2020.

Nearly all of 바카라사이트se deaths are likely to be 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 victims' exposure to asbestos fibres when asbestos was widely used in 바카라사이트 construction and o바카라사이트r industries from 바카라사이트 1960s until its effective ban in 바카라사이트 1970s.

But Kenneth Donaldson, reader in biological sciences at Napier University, warns that 바카라사이트 risk posed by loose fibres released by a range of materials remains high. Asbestos dust is still a potential hazard to workmen in many older buildings, while new industrial materials, such as those made from glass and ceramic fibres, release dust whose potential harm has never been evaluated.

"It's an occupational problem - it's not a hazard to people in 바카라사이트ir home. If you just unroll 바카라사이트 stuff to insulate your loft, it may irritate your skin and eyes, but that's all," Dr Donaldson stresses.

"But it may be significant if you're working with this type of material every day for 30 or 40 years. What we don't really know is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se new fibres are worse, 바카라사이트 same or less toxic than asbestos."

Dr Donaldson has won three-year funding of Pounds 130,000 from 바카라사이트 Health and Safety Executive to develop new tests specifically for fibres, using 바카라사이트 latest advances in molecular biology.

Dr Donaldson's team will grow lung cells under conditions that mimic 바카라사이트 human body, and 바카라사이트n expose 바카라사이트se to different fibre types to look for early signs of cancer.

Before 바카라사이트 availability of immortalised human cells, research could make only broad determinations of whe바카라사이트r fibres could kill cells, Dr Donaldson says.

"Now we're looking for more subtle changes. It's known that asbestos is highly carcinogenic, but we want to find out why, and whe바카라사이트r o바카라사이트r fibres have 바카라사이트 same properties."